by Olga GOA
When Veronica quietly came to Milano from behind, she was still watching the Veneziani brothers. They were so alike and at the same time looked as if they weren’t siblings.
The brothers, of course, didn’t notice how Veronica came tiptoeing into their kitchen; they were completely absorbed in their conversation. Veronica just kissed her Demon on his cheek and rested her chin on his shoulder. She gently put her arm around his neck and sighed.
“Nike!” Milano laughed, feeling her gentle embrace. “You have snuck into our kitchen as a burglar.”
“Burglars don’t kiss,” Veronica sniffed, being curious about what Lucenzo was doing by the stove. She came to him slowly watching his mastery in cooking. The young man was preparing dinner, following his own Italian recipes. He didn’t pay attention to extraneous things; he tossed mixed vegetables up in the air, showing his culinary knack.
“You are right, dear Veronica,” Lucenzo said, nodding slightly.
“Let me help you, Lucenzo,” Veronica offered him in a tender voice. She laid her hand on his shoulder with determination to get down to work. “Please, sit down and take a rest; cooking is exhausting. And in any case, it is a woman’s business,” she finished with a smirk, standing by the stove and taking up the reins.
“Thank you, Veronica.” Lucenzo kissed her on the cheek in response to her care and gave her a frying pan.
Milano kept watching Veronica and his younger brother, burning with discontent. He did not like how sweetly Veronica behaved toward Lucenzo and how good they understood each other without words. Milano was beginning to be jealous of his goddess’ affection toward his brother. He tried not to say rude words to them.
Turning his gaze unwittingly to Milano, Lucenzo caught jealousy in his eyes. He still kept using a new psychotherapy skill on his eldest brother, showing his attitude toward Veronica.
“What are you grinning at, Lucenzo?” Milano muttered, looking up at his brother frowningly. “Good that you’re my brother. If you were a stranger, I would have broken your rib!”
“Mino, please. I just kissed my future sister-in-law. Don’t be so strict.” Lucenzo gave him a wink while coming closer to the table, at which Milano was sitting. He easily tapped his brother on the shoulder trying to calm him down.
“You and Veronica like influencing on my prudence; it gives you some pleasure.” Milano started forgetting his promise to treat Veronica as a woman worthy of his respect. It appeared as if the inner demon was stronger than him. The demon was stronger in all senses of the word. He could easily possess Milano’s mind, making him a different person.
But for Lucenzo, this fact was just a reason to render assistance and support to Milano. He had to do it as his brother.
“Stop showing your character!” Lucenzo said, disapproving of Milano’s arrogance. “You should rather shower compliments on your future wife; she’s outstanding.” He ended, estimating the beauty of Veronica with such Italian words as Lei e molto bella[1].
“It’s better for you to be silent before I get angry,” Milano said sharply feeling that the inner demon was still awake. This demon tried to escape from the dark dungeon of Milano’s mind and make an uprising. And Veronica and Lucenzo could witness this fact, as the demon has already raised its rebellion.
“Don’t talk to your brother like that. He doesn’t deserve it.” Veronica educated her wild man properly, supporting Lucenzo in his methods of influencing Milano. She suspected that any of their methods might end in a fiasco.
“You are lecturing me on education? Well, well.” Milano got angry at Veronica’s words, throwing the newspaper in a bucket. He liked showing all of them that he was the King, and so everyone should accept his decision.
“Veronica, do not protect me. Milano is always like this. I got used to it.” Lucenzo pointed out sadly, looking at his eldest brother. He knew Milano’s temper very well.
“But I intend to protect you. Milano must understand that I won’t agree with his disrespect for you. After all, you’re his brother!” Veronica got mad at Milano, stirring food heated up on the stove. She didn’t dare to even turn to face her Demon. She was very angry with him because of his attitude toward Lucenzo.
Suddenly Milano briskly bounced out of the chair, and Lucenzo immediately realized that trouble was certain. His brother got hot under the collar and intended not to stop. It seemed that fists would come into play.
“Brother.” Taking the first blow, Lucenzo tried to stop Milano. He rested the hands on his chest, protecting Veronica from his attacks. “Take a deep breath. You’re a grown-up man, not an 18-year-old boy.”
“Veronica stands up to me. I have to tell her something.” Milano tried not to raise his voice at his Amazon that was disputing with him again. But his emotional demon took possession of his mind and appeared before them in all its ‘glory.’
“I am busy.” Veronica tightly answered Milano, breaking quail eggs and set to cook an omelet for them. By doing this, she was purposely distracted from never-ending quarrels with Milano, as she was already tired of their arguments.
“Holy shit, come here!” Milano grumbled. He looked at Veronica over his brother’s shoulder, not putting up with her disobedience.
“Stop, Milano!” Lucenzo became furious while reacting to his eldest brother’s words. “Don’t yell at Veronica. She doesn’t deserve it, either.”
Milano took a step toward Lucenzo, becoming enraged with the lava of hellish anger. That lava could explode at any moment, destroying everybody who was close. And this destruction was of an erupting volcano named Milano Veneziani. Milano couldn’t stand it when his word as the head of the house was being disputed and discussed. He liked it when everybody complied with his rules and had no objections. He liked his own monarchy.
Of course, Lucenzo didn’t like it, and as a family member, he wanted to achieve certain equality of rights. Therefore, he stood in front of Milano as a shield for Veronica. He was as a true soldier, who didn’t even think to give up.
Realizing that his brother didn’t allow him to get closer to Veronica than a meter, Milano chuckled, thinking of resolving the conflict with his craftiness.
“Lu, let me have a word with my girlfriend. I won’t bite her.” Milano asked his brother politely, willing to establish contact with both parties and perhaps makeup with them.
“Are you going to raise a hand to Veronica? Tell me!” Lucenzo was afraid for Milano’s girl; sometimes the emotional intensity of his eldest brother fell outside the limits. Lucenzo could only guess what would happen next.
“Bloody hell, what’s come over you? I have never beaten a woman.” Milano didn’t understand why nobody believed him. From childhood, his mother had taught him well not to hurt girls from the neighborhoods. When he tried to make them suffer physically, Signora Veneziani dragged her son by the ears so that he remembered this lesson for a long time. And Milano still kept it in his mind.
“He wanted to hit me only once. In Pisa,” Veronica said bitterly to Lucenzo. She remembered the events of the previous week so clearly―how she met Milano and how he had got her to the room violently, located adjacent to the Tower of Pisa. How fiercely they had been arguing with each other there and how Milano had stopped himself. He hit the door a few inches from Veronica’s head and had not even apologized to her after that incident. Though he was mortally jealous, he must draw the line somehow. He should have understood it.
“Is it true, brother?” Listening to Veronica’s story, Lucenzo hardly understood the facts. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“Couldn’t Milano keep his temper in line?” Lucenzo said under his breath.
“Veronica asked for it. She said a lot of unpleasant things about me.” Milano uttered, recalling his version of that meeting. He was furious; his eyes were burning through the back of her head.
“It doesn’t matter what Veronica said about you, what matters is that you wanted to hurt her. How could you?” Lucenzo questioned his brother with disapproval. He did
n’t support Milano’s rude behavior toward the woman. The woman would soon become the mother of his child; the future wife of Milano Veneziani.
“But I didn’t touch her, god damn it! Let me talk to Veronica!” Milano was already furious, showing his hasty temper and trying to do everything his own way.
“Only if you slow down, I’ll let you come to her,” Lucenzo told him fearlessly, continuing to protect Veronica and not allowing his brother to come closer to her.
Being sure that no one could fight against Milano’s stubbornness, Veronica surrendered. She realized that there was nothing she could do but to submit. Maybe that’s how she will influence her Demon’s temper.
“Milano, let’s talk; otherwise, you will bomb the whole kitchen,” Veronica requested him leisurely, serving the plates with an omelette and cheese to each brother. She came out timidly from Lucenzo’s back and moved closer to her furious man. She was thinking of what awaits her now―a quarrel, plate smashing, or even destroying furniture.
“I will bomb it out? To hell with that!” Milano shouted at Veronica, feeling that nobody took him seriously and everybody treated him as an immature boy. He was a grown and solid man for certain, but it mattered how you look at it. Emotionally, Milano behaved like an immature teenager.
Lucenzo began to think of how to reconcile his brother with his girlfriend, but Milano didn’t allow him to do anything. He abruptly grabbed Veronica’s wrist and led her out of the kitchen, as if she was a small child. A child who was guilty of bad behavior and now was going to be punished severely.
Veronica obediently followed Milano, not disputing with him at all.
“Milano, if you hurt Veronica, I will beat you! Keep this in mind!” Lucenzo said on the heels of his brother, knowing that this phrase could make Milano furious. But he didn’t care. Lucenzo didn’t want to see his eldest brother hurt this sincere and sweet girl.
Not hearing his brother’s words, Milano pushed Veronica into a special guest room and closed the door after her. He made her a prisoner in his chambers and didn’t plan to let her go.
Veronica looked around, noticing what a beautiful room they were in. It appeared like the private quarters of a wealthy castle; it was luxury in decoration and design. The gold chandelier was hanging from the ceiling, sparkling in the bright lamps’ light. The incredible Baroque, molding around the chandelier, indicated how much this style fitted there. In the middle of the room, there was a small table made of green transparent glass about fifty inches long. A warm carpet weaved from the same white sheep’s wool as the carpet in Milano’s room, lay on the floor. There were two large double beds covered with crisp vanilla bedspreads against the wall. Everybody who visited the Veneziani family could have rest in this room. Its coloring allowed any visitor to relax. People could forget about problems, at least for a while.
Veronica was forced to turn her attention back to Milano when he strongly grabbed her elbow, forcing her to look into his eyes.
“So you were bold to say such words in front of my brother? No woman ever disobeyed me and protected Lucenzo!”
“I’m not afraid of your uncouth words. If you think I am scared of you, you will be disappointed, Mino,” Veronica said, holding up her head and showing no intention of giving up.
“Do you want a war? I can give it to you, Amazon.” Milano promised her with his sinister eyes, which could set her soul on fire and burn her painfully.
“I want it! I am ready for it!” Veronica met his challenge, holding her ground in their dispute. She hoped that Milano would not hurt her in any way. But she was not quite sure if Milano could conduct himself rationally. His world still shocked her.
Before coming to her senses, Veronica was already in Milano’s hands, and he passionately kissed her, as if he missed her for years. What was happening to him? Did he just want Veronica’s body, or had he fallen in love with her even more?
Feeling his hot hands on her skin, Veronica began to choke with desire. Her heart was beating at high speeds, when Milano stood, wrapping her in a cocoon of his heat. The curves of her body united so perfectly with his sculptured muscles, as if they were made for each other. Most likely, it was so.
Veronica nervously clutched Milano’s biceps with her fragile fingers, holding him back, until he showed her his demented passion. He didn’t want Veronica to be released; he kissed her fervently so that she would lose her mind forever. After all, love was not in the power of her mind, but in the power of her heart.
“Mmm, Milano...” Veronica was mumbling through his long kisses, not knowing what to do. “Leave me alone.”
“No way, my Amazon! Your grittiness makes me hot.” Milano answered hoarsely, using his arms–tricks to keep his girl beside him.
“Milano... You know—”
“Yes!” he interrupted Veronica, not listening to her speech. “I also crave for you.”
Milano put his hands under Veronica’s dress while his Amazon’s fingers were sinking into his hair. He lifted her dress higher to enjoy the view of her shapely bare legs. The only thing that Milano desired was to get Veronica’s approval and plunge into the depth of his passion.
But Lucenzo thought it was a bad sign that it was so quiet and peaceful in the guest room. He worried about Veronica. Could my eldest brother become such a despot as to hit his future wife? Could he do any harm to her?!
“Milano, open the door!” Lucenzo ordered his brother threateningly, coming closer to the room, where Milano and Veronica were. “If you hurt Nike, you won’t get away with it.”
And then the door opened at once, and Lucenzo froze in disbelief. Milano and Veronica appeared before him looking disheveled, like guilty teenagers whose parents caught them ‘at the scene of the crime.’ Veronica’s lips were swollen from Milano’s kisses, and his hair looked as if he had been dragged through a hedge backward. The clothes of the couple were slightly crushed as if they weren’t ironed for a long time.
Lucenzo began to laugh, looking at the guilty ones.
“I see that Nike doesn’t need any help. Does she?” Lucenzo snorted, realizing that he shouldn’t have come. He would rather have stayed in the kitchen, eating up his yummy omelet. He got really hungry when he was helping Francesca to paint her house windows.
“Lu, I... It’s Milano! This imp!” Veronica rejected Lucenzo’s guesses, adjusting her hair that escaped from the metal clasp.
“Of course.” Lucenzo grinned, looking at Milano who seemed surprisingly much calmer.
“We have cleared up all misunderstandings and arrived at the common view—we shouldn’t argue in front of you.” Milano looked sidewise at Veronica so that she would not contradict him but be silent like an obedient girl.
Veronica could say nothing; she was laying on a white cloud of love that enveloped her body. This Italian again! He threw my thoughts away, Veronica complained to herself about Milano.
“Even so? Excellent!” Lucenzo went on, laughing and watching the ‘criminals’ who tried to hide their traces.
“True...” Milano muttered, endeavoring to gather all his thoughts. After a hot ‘discussion’ with Veronica, he could answer nothing except for ‘true.’
“Oh my gosh! You were kissing before my coming! Do you think I am such an idiot? You are just actors!” Lucenzo continued to titter, going slowly into the kitchen to finish his meal. “I’d rather eat up my dinner as I won’t get anywhere with you.”
“I’ll also go and finish my dinner,” Veronica voiced her thoughts aloud, tugging her dress that was slightly seedy after hugs with her beloved Demon. She followed Lucenzo, but then, Milano seized her by the arm again.
“You will eat later. I just want you now. You must pander to my desires!” Milano told her stiffly, making up a new plan on how to attack Veronica. In particular, he desired to win; he was waiting for a complete surrender from his Amazon. He couldn’t control his body that was burning with a flame of desire.
“Such an insolent man. I have no words about that,” Veronica an
noyingly muttered to him. She was determined to go into the kitchen, but Milano blocked her way purposely.
What a babyish thing to do! Couldn’t he forget about sex at least for an hour? Veronica didn’t understand him, thinking about the depraved fantasies of her Demon. Was it impossible to make this Italian a moral person? Or perhaps, it was not yet time?
“It will be fast, mia bella... Be your natural self.” Milano shared his plan, feeling that he would possess his Amazon’s body like a madman. He pushed Veronica to the wall, starting to make seductive moves, imitating the sexual act. Somehow, he attempted to turn her on once again. He was confident that after this encounter, Veronica would passionately attack him herself. But apparently, this time she was stronger.
“So start a sexual abstinence treatment, and you will feel better, Milano.” Veronica impatiently said to him, wanting to end this conversation as quickly as possible. That was enough sex for her today; her body was very tired.
His eyebrows started to shake when Milano heard her answer. “Do you refuse me, huh?!”
“Yes,” Veronica replied fearlessly, doubting if she had said the right things. Everything might have changed in a flash of a moment, and Milano could stop being tolerant of her naughtiness. He could leave her without even thinking about their child, as Veronica assumed to herself.
Milano really overreacted to her refusal. He simply replied to Veronica through clenched teeth, “I'll be back soon!” and went into the hall. He slammed the front door with such force that the painting hanging in the hallway began to shake.
“He’s gone… Shit!” Veronica mumbled knowing the answer to her imaginable question. She was afraid that her guesses would come true. This irrepressible Demon has surely zoomed off to his mistress. Damn him and all his vices!
However much Veronica forced herself to hate Milano and be disgusted at his behavior, she couldn’t hate him. The branches of love entwined her heart very deeply, holding him tight. They hurt Veronica more than ever, inflicting the deepest wounds in her soul.
